The Work-Life Balance: Geographical Perspectives on Lifestyle, Leisure, Stuff and the Future Presidential Address to the Institute of Australian Geographers' Conference, Hobart, July 2008

The work-life balance is a pressing social issue in Australia but one on which geographers have been relatively silent. Predictions of 'a leisure society' have not been fulfilled. Instead, work has come to dominate life in Australia and in many other advanced western societies. The reasons for this are explored. Materialism is at the heart of the work-life imbalance. There is, however, evidence of a changing work ethic and the emergence of leisure-orientated lifestyles, albeit with 'leisure' interpreted as 'freedom to' undertake gratifying activity rather than simply 'freedom from' obligatory commitments. Despite the supposed homogenising influence of globalisation and the Internet, place will become increasingly important in a leisure-orientated lifestyle-led future.